Just a Regular Arvo (that's Australian for afternoon, mate!)

Right now it is 1pm and about 73 degrees outside. This is Winter like I've never experienced it. The week and a half before I came Oz was cold and rainy (incidentally, Maryland was about 105 degrees, so I suppose I lucked out on both ends by being in mild and wonderful Colorado.) Apparently, I bring the sunshine cuz it's been nothing but b-e-a-utiful since my arrival ;D jokes. The sun is so hot here, that the mornings and evenings when it's not up are very chilly. Coat weather. In the shade, the temp seems to drop like 10 degrees. Weather talk is boring, I know, but I do find this interesting. I guess I've never lived this close to the equator.

I say all this to tell you how pumped I am to be living in Matt and Lauren Leeds' home now :) The Leeds home has massive windows everywhere that let in heaps of sunlight, and therefore heat! I am sitting in a Tshirt and shorts writing this, and it feels great. I really despise the sweaters or "jumpers" I've been wearing.

Matt and Paul have been best friends since childhood, so I'd heard a lot about he and his wife, Lauren, before I came down last Summer. (Note 1- the whole Summer/ Winter thing is confusing to write about. I can't even promise that I'll stick with one perspective in writing this, seeing as how I've already referred to August as both in this one entry. Note 2- I am paranoid to mess up my grammar (he and his? him and his?) in my blog. I know I'm an English major but...)

The Leeds' were as lovely as Paul told me they would be, and we became good friends. I am now living with them for three weeks or so, until I can work out some sort of permanent residency. Paul is still living at his parents house, and probably will be until his surgery on the 14th. Then he'll move... well, somewhere else. With such short notice, there are still lots of details to work out. So far I think we've been doing really well though :)

I looove living with Matt and Lauren! They are both school teachers, Lauren working literally across the street. You can see her classroom from her bedroom window- how funny is that. They have a new puppy that is quite hyper, however shockingly quiet, which is nice. I am starting to feel so at home in their house- they are such welcoming people. Plus they have one of those MASSIVE mac computers and a dvd collection the size of... a bathtub. That's an odd comparison, but accurate. Haha. Lauren is actually American herself. She moved from CA to Sydney when she was 12, so she has a very mixed accent. I don't find myself picking up anyones accent but hers, probably because it is similar to mine, only Australianized. She pronounces her er's like I do, but her vowels are all Aussie. I am going to stop talking about this now as I'm sure the only one who really cares about this stuff is my linguistically aware sister, Adrienne. ;)

I have spent the past few days at the Nonnies house because Paul's Nonno has been in the hospital undergoing prostate surgery. I'm not sure of all the details (non parlo Italiano), but I do know that he's doing well. Paul has been driving Nonna back and forth from the hospital. What a good grandson. We spent the night there, and before I fell asleep Nonna opened the door with a flashlight (she carries it around at night because it is easier than turning the lights on and off lol), said something in Italian and threw a bag of hot rice on my lap to keep me warm, haha.

I have had a few homesick moments in the past few days. Usually I cry a little, Paul asks "Are you done? I think you have some more to go," and I cry a little more. Then I get over it :) It is hard to move across the world. I don't know that I am particularly cut out for it, actually, but. Here I am. The first few weeks are the hardest part, after that things get great and stay great.

What I love about living in Australia:

- You don't have to add tax to things when you buy them. It's so nice knowing my exact total before i go to pay for something, especially since I'm still getting used to the currency.

- One dollar coins. Loved that about England too. The US needs to get on that.

- They have these amazing kettles that boil tons on water in one minute. I will be giving you one for your birthday. You have no idea what you're living without right now! :D

- No tipping.

- The money is really pretty and waxy, so it doesn't leave that gross carbon smell on your hands.

- You don't get charged to receive a text, only to send one. That just makes sense.

- Everyone hangs clothes out to dry instead of using the dryer to save energy. I can't decide if I like that or not, but I do admire it.

- Matt and Lauren live across the street from shops, including a grocery store which is beyond convenient.

- The birds are so colorful!

What I do not love about living in Australia:

- The birds are so loud.

- The coffee serving size is so small! (my one true qualm with Europe as well.)

- Being homesick

- Finding all new websites (you don't know how many American website's there are.)

- EVERYTHING IS SO EXPENSIVE, but don't worry. Tomorrow I have a trial day at a new job and the starting pay is 21 dollars an hour- can you even believe it.

Well I think that's all for now. I'll tell you next about my new job (!!) and how I managed to learn to drive a stick with my left hand. A bit nervous about that. Til then!

Abby